“This is not a desert (yet)” – Teslocracy, water and the limits of green tech

In record time, the Tesla Gigafactory was built on the outskirts of Berlin in Grünheide, right in the middle of a water protection area. When water becomes scarce, the consequences for democracy and social participation are all the more serious. Drawing on the recently published volume:  Teslocracy: Ideologies of TechCapitalism  edited by Christoph Chwatal, Alexander Karschnia and Heimo Lattner (Edition Nautilus)- from which we will hear an excerpt at the start – Heiko Baschin from Bürger Grünheide, Nike Sommerwerk, an expert in urban biodiversity and environmental governance at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, and sociologist Inken Behrmann, who researches distributional conflicts and government measures in the context of water scarcity, will discuss the ‘Giga Berlin’ case. Moderated by political scientist Maike Weißpflug, the discussion will focus on the question: How does green tech measure up against our water resources? What role do planning and approval procedures play in managing water consumption, water quality and ecological limits? How does water scarcity exacerbate social inequalities and political conflicts? Does Germany really need more ‘Tesla-style speed’, or do we need to rethink state regulation as a prerequisite for freedom, environmental protection and water conservation?

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

A discussion on tech capitalism, water scarcity, ecological limits and the future of democratic transformation.